Angels' big hearts benefiting local kids

11/23/2005
It's all about the kids.
Each year, the Angels take a three-tiered approach as they reach out to support their community with youth and their welfare providing a compass as the No. 1 priority.
"We work to generate support for the children in the greater Los Angeles area," said Anne Blasius, Angels community relations coordinator. "We try and do that through health-based initiatives, education and sports."
All efforts are part of the Angels Baseball Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organization that fittingly uses baseball as the pivot point around which everything spins.
Up front and heading the foundation's initiatives in sports is Gene Autry RBI, which provides children the opportunity to play baseball and softball.
Launched in 1999 and free, Gene Autry RBI Leagues is a youth baseball and softball program offered to Orange County Boys and Girls Club members between the ages of 12 and 18.
On the field, RBI concentrates on fundamentals and teamwork, while stressing citizenship and academics. Off the field, staff members teach QuickSmart, a prevention program designed to assist kids in learning how to face the difficult issues of alcohol, tobacco and drug use.
"The RBI program is great because it gets kids involved in the sport who might not otherwise have the chance," Blasius said.
Gene Autry RBI has served over 2,500 kids in seven seasons, and during the 2005 season, over 500 kids in 19 cities encompassing 29 teams participated in RBI.
Two programs lead the educational push of the foundation, the Scholastic A Team and Read Across America Day.
With Scholastic A Team, the Angels recognize students within the greater Los Angeles area who have maintained a grade point average of at least 3.5. Students mail in a copy of their report card to the Angels and receive two tickets to an Angels game during the summer. The Scholastic A Team gets a video board welcome, and over 2,500 tickets were issued during the 2005 season under the auspices of the program.
Each year for celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday, the Angels participate in Read Across America Day at local elementary schools. Former bench coach Joe Maddon and catcher Jose Molina also visited a local elementary school in Anaheim this past year to read to children and talk about the importance of education and reading.
"A lot of front-office staff and members of our speakers bureau (retired players) attend Read Across America," Blasius said. "It is one of the more fun events each year."
Throughout the season, Angels players and their wives visit local hospitals to sign autographs and hand out Angels gear to the children. The front office also joined some players' wives by participating in Susan G. Komen's Race For The Cure on Sept. 25th.
Angels players walked in memory of Cathy Carey, the administrative assistant in the communications department, who died this past spring from breast cancer.
But not everything has been focused on the Southern California region.
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in late August, the Angels organization along with fans and players joined to generate funds for the American Red Cross in relief efforts. The Angels hosted a series of collection drives at Angel Stadium along with ESPN Radio and the Angels Booster Club, generating $45,000 for the relief effort.
In addition, Angels players' wives and girlfriends hosted an online basket auction, which raised $35,000. The themed baskets contained memorabilia signed by the Angels, and the Angels Baseball Foundation matched funds to generate an additional $70,000 for the Red Cross.
The John Hancock Company also contributed $2,500 to the American Red Cross in the name of Angels Roberto Clemente Award nominee Darin Erstad. In addition, Angels players Vladimir Guerrero, Bartolo Colon and Paul Byrd made contributions totaling $125,000.
Contributions by the Angels Baseball Foundation to the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts totaled $242,500.
The foundation looks to grow each year in its stated mission to reach out to children and use baseball as its platform, but everyone associated with the programs is able to take pride in the progress they've already made.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/